I used to ride hunter/jumper as a kid, then took a 10 year break. Now because of the area I live in, I lease a western trail horse who is not very well broke in the ring. A reining instructor with dressage background gives me lessons and its been a lot of fun learning dressage while teaching it to the horse. Of course it's a very slow process, but I get such joy to see us both improving. I actually find it easier to learn something by learning to teach it to the horse. We still use his western saddle, but I have him in a snaffle and am working on the rein contact.
However, soon it will be time to get my own horse again and I'd like you dressage experts to tell me if I'm crazy

I'm planning on adopting a standardbred off the track from a placement program that starts them under saddle (walk, trot, canter). They have them available mostly for intermediate-confident levels, occasionally they have a novice too. I've checked out their contract and everything about them I like. I'd have lots of very confident horse people around that have started foals, and finished reiners, and I have this instructor at my disposal. I ride 6 days a week, lesson once a week. Would it be unrealistic of me to take this green broke standardbred and teach it dressage while I learn too? I don't plan on going into upper level dressage. I really just want to do it for fun and see how far we can get. I know with jumping the rule is always green+green=black and blue, but I can't see that happening in dressage at the lower levels...

Would it be unrealistic of me to take this green broke standardbred and teach it dressage while I learn too? I don't plan on going into upper level dressage. I really just want to do it for fun and see how far we can get.
Any thoughts and criticisms are appreciated..

That is how I started only mine was unbroke and I had no instructer near (or at least one I could afford). **** if I didn't go to GP with that horse and I paid all of $250.00 for.

I don't see a problem with it at all! My first horse was an OTTB who was kicked out of the racing program because he was too slow (haha), at that time I had been riding for maybe 3 years and was just starting to compete at the lower levels. We ended up competing at training level in national shows and schooling first level. :)
Good luck!

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